Announcements

This latest release from the Office for National Statistics provides an analysis of the UK Time Use Survey. This looks at the amount of time children spend engaging with the outdoors and sports activities.
Key findings
• Children aged 8 to 15 years in the UK spent just over an hour (68 minutes) of their leisure time on average per day taking part in an outdoor activity, sports-related activity or travelling on foot or by bicycle.
• Children spent three times longer on sports and exercise activities (33 minutes) than entertainment and culture activities (11 minutes).
• Boys spent on average 40 minutes per day on sports activities compared with 25 minutes for girls.
• The average amount of leisure time children spent in parks, countryside, seaside, beach or coastal locations was 16 minutes per day.
• Children reported greater enjoyment ratings when taking part in entertainment and culture activities (6.4 out of 7) and sports and exercise activities (6.3) than for other outdoor activities.
Read more here:

Walk in the Park’ Walk Leaders were presented with the ‘Champion Community Award’ at a recent award ceremony.
This award acknowledges the community approach of the Walk Leaders who work to improve the life for those who live in and visit the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.
The Community Partnership Awards each year celebrates the role of volunteers from communities within the National Park. These awards recognise the amazing work being carried out at grassroots level in communities
The Walk in the Park Project’s 33 Walk Leaders, from across the four walking groups in Balloch, Killin, Callander and Aberfoyle were honoured to receive the Champion Community Award, recognising the amazing role the Volunteer Walk Leaders play in the success of the Walk in the Park Project. It is a fantastic achievement and really well deserved.

Areas with more accessible green space are associated with better mental and physical health, according to a new POSTnote by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST).
The POSTnote is a research summary of the physical and mental health benefits of contact with nature. Research into the public health benefits of urban green spaces has focused on three main areas: physical activity, mental health and exposure to nature as a treatment for some conditions.
The POSTnote found that there is a link between people’s physical environment and their activity behaviour, with those living closer to a green space being more likely to use it. Those living closest to green areas have also been found to have reduced levels of mortality, obesity and obesity related illness.

Ambitious cycling plans in Scotland are being reinvigorated with the introduction of a new taskforce.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf announced the plans for a taskforce, the main aim of which will be to drive forward ambitious cycling infrastructure such as segregated cycle paths, at the Active Travel Summit last week.
The Minister also unveiled details of the latest round of the multi-million pound Community Links PLUS competition which seeks ambitious design projects that restore balance in Scotland’s streets in favour of people walking and cycling.
The new taskforce, chaired by Transport Scotland, will begin its work following the publication of the updated Cycling Action Plan for Scotland in December. Key organisations such as COSLA, the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland and other delivery partners will be invited to take an active part in the group.

World Walking celebrated its third birthday in October 2016.
Developed simply to motivate people to walk more, World Walking now has over 15,000 active users of all ages in over 50 countries around the world.
This free and easy online system can be used by individuals and groups, anytime, anywhere. and can be used in conjunction with Fitbit and Jawbone activity trackers as well as the Apple Health Kit.
Getting started is simple. Just join the website, or download the app on your smartphone, choose your virtual walk... and go!